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Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal seeks to promote the exchange of information, experience of struggle, theoretical analysis and views of political strategy and tactics within the international left. It is a forum for open and constructive dialogue between active socialists from different political traditions. It seeks to bring together those in the international left who are opposed to neoliberal economic and social policies, and reject the bureaucratic model of "socialism" that arose in the Soviet Union, Eastern Europe and China.

Inspired by the unfolding socialist revolution in Venezuela, as well as the continuing example of socialist Cuba, Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal is a journal for "Socialism of the 21st century", and the discussions and debates flowing from that powerful example of socialist renewal.

Links is also proud to be the sister publication of Green Left Weekly, the world's leading red-green newspaper, and we urge readers to visit that site regularly.

Arising out of the UK Climate Camp in August 2008 there
has developed an interesting debate between Ewa Jasiewicz, an activist in Britain,
and well-known radical columnist George Monbiot about the role of so-called
“state solutions” to climate change. Jasiewicz’s
article, published on the Guardian
website[i]
and entitled “Time for a Revolution”, was an attack on Monbiot for a
“controversial presentation [at climate camp] … in which he endorsed the use of
the state as a partner in resolving the climate crisis”. It was also prompted
by a debate between Monbiot and former National Union of Mineworkers’ leader and
head of Britain’s Socialist Labour Party Arthur Scargill about what is more
polluting: nuclear or coal energy.

September 25, 2008 -- The Australian federal
government’s climate change adviser, Professor Ross Garnaut, has
released his recommendations for medium-term cuts to Australian
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

He calls for reductions
by 2020 of just 5% if there is no comprehensive international agreement
on emissions reductions, or reductions of 10% if there is an agreement.
At the Bali climate summit in December 2007 many developed countries
expressed support for goals of 25-40% reductions.

`A Maoist Vision for a New Nepal' -- MP3
recordings of a talk by Nepal's Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal (Prachanda), followed by questions and answers, presented to the India China Institute of New School
University, New York City, on September 26, 2008. The MP3 audio clips were first presented on the Hegemonik site, and are posted here with permission

September 24, 2008 -- We are
living a decisive moment in the history of humankind. The threats looming over
the world put the very existence of the human species at risk.

The
promotion of peace, solidarity, social justice and sustainable development is
the only WAY to ensure the future. The prevailing world order, unjust and
unsustainable, must be replaced by a new system that is truly democratic and
equitable, based on respect for international law and on the principles of
solidarity and justice, putting an end to the inequalities and exclusion to
which the great majorities of the population of our planet have been condemned.

"And they want no oversight. $700
billion dollars and no oversight! No oversight? Why should we? I want
receipts dammit! What do you mean no oversight? Because, oh, you're
so good with the other money?"

"This is the biggest piece of
garbage ever. You know what? It's welfare for the rich...

By Munyaradzi Gwisai, International Socialist Organisation of Zimbabwe

September 23, 2008 -- In our last update, in the July issue of Socialist Worker, we reaffirmed our long-held
position of the likelihood“ of an elite political settlement between the ruling
party and opposition around a Western-supported full neoliberal economic program”,
given the domination of all the political parties by bourgeois elites who are
fearful of political implosions from the collapsing economy and the rank
opportunism of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leadership. The deal
signed by the leaderships of the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic
Front (ZANU-PF) and the MDC in September substantially confirmed our fears. We
look at the deal and what it means for working people.

September
23, 2008 -- After decades of enduring attacks within Cuba’s own borders (acts
of arson, sabotage, assassinations and the use of biological weapons) perpetrated
by anti-Cuban terrorist groups based in southern Florida that enjoy the support
and consent of the US government, and after the United States repeatedly
refused to implement measures to prevent such attacks, a group of unarmed men travelled from Cuba to the United States to monitor the
activities of mercenary groups responsible for those attacks and organisations
that support them and to warn Cuba of their aggressive intentions.

* * *

September 12, 2008, protest in Washington DC to mark the tenth anniversary of the unjust imprisonment of the Cuban 5

September 17, 2008 -- Havana -- The TV coverage here in Cuba on the impact of hurricanes Gustav and Ike is very instructive, not just in showing clearly the extent of damage, but in giving a sense of the feelings and spirit of the people through many, many different testimonies. I notice that in much of the reporting outside the country, there's not much commentary on this aspect, which is as important -- if not more so in the long run -- as the statistics on damage.

Cuban
workers work with heavy machines to remove debris infront of a house in
Havana, Cuba on September 9, 2008, after the passing of Hurricane Ike.EPA/ALEJANDRO ERNESTO.

September 20, 2008 -- At the end of the background information below (and HERE) is a link to an open letter to the national and international community sent by imprisoned Colombian trade
unionist and human rights campaigner Liliana
Obando.

Background

Colombian trade union and human rights activist Liliana Obando was arrested and detained in a maximum security prison on August 8 by the anti-terrorism unit of the Colombian National Police. She was charged with “rebellion” against the state, a catch-all charge
that is regularly used to imprison those who speak out against the
government of President Alvaro Uribe Velez, the largest recipient of US
military aid in the region.

At the time of her arrest, Obando, the sole breadwinner in her
family of two young sons and her mother, was carrying out a study on
assassinations of Agricultural Workers Union Federation (Fensuagro)
members by paramilitary death squads and government security forces.

By Venezuela's Ministry of Communication and Information, translated by Tamara Pearson

September 23, 2008 -- Venezuelanalysis -- The following is a translation of a document produced by the Venezuela's
Ministry for Communication and Information. It is a summary of the
content of the 26 laws passed by the Venezuelan executive and also seeks
to debunk some of the myths spread by the right-wing opposition. The actual laws
are 30-60 pages each, so it is an accessible way to learn what they are. The Venezuelan government is distributing this summary across Venezuela.

September 23, 2008 -- In South Africa, the deputy leader of the African
National Congress has been chosen to serve as interim president
following the resignation of South African President Thabo Mbeki. Mbeki resigned on Sunday over
allegations of interference in a corruption case against political
rival and current ANC party president Jacob Zuma. We speak to South African poet
and activist Dennis Brutus.

Below are number left tributes to Peter Camejo, who died on September 13: from Green Left Weekly (Australia); Ralph Nader, US presidential candidate; veteran US socialist Barry Sheppard; Socialist Worker (USA) and Louis Proyect, moderator of the Marxism List (USA).

September 17, 2008 -- Washington's next war is already on the go. It is as yet undeclared. However, it is not unapproved. ``Classified orders'', according to September 11 New York Times, were passed by President Bush last July. And surprise of surprises! The target is not ``axis of evil''-fame Iran. It is Washington's close ally in the ``war on terror'', Pakistan.

At the time of writing, news is pouring in from the Waziristan (tribal areas) region of Pakistan of yet another US attack that has left another five ``Taliban'' dead. Only a week ago, 20 ``Taliban'' were killed in another US attack. Between August 13 and September 12, at least 79 ``Taliban'' have been killed in nine US attacks on Pakistan's tribal areas. Since January 29 (the year's first attack claimed 12 lives), more than 150 people have been killed.

September 20, 2008 -- “Will my superannuation [pension] fund be next?” “Are my savings safe?” As working people in the developed economies watch the assets of one financial institution after another vaporise into nothingness, tens of millions are asking these dreadful questions.

Yesterday’s AAA assets are now junk and yesterday’s “risk-free”
investments are losing money. No-one, not even the world’s central
bankers, who are spending sleepless nights arranging rescue bailouts
and emergency injections of trillions of dollars into a financial
system frozen with fear and distrust, can answer them with 100%
certainty.

September 21, 2008 -- The past week has been a wild roller-coaster ride in and out of Southern
African ruling-party politics, down the troughs of world capitalism, and
up the peaks of radical social activism. Glancing around the region and
the world from those peaks, we can see quite a way further than usual.

Looking first to South Africa, September 20's dumping of state president Thabo
Mbeki by Jacob Zuma -- president of the African National Congress (ANC) -- and his temporary
replacement (until next April 2009's election) by ANC deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe, was an excellent reflection of ruling elite fragility in
neoliberal regimes. Some of Mbeki's main supporters, including Mbhazima
Shilowa, the former trade union leader and now premier of Gauteng province, in the economic heartland of Johannesburg -- are apparently
considering the launch of a competing party.

September 20, 2008 -- The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions' General Council today met in Harare to deliberate on the recent signing of the power-sharing deal between the Zimbabwe African Nation Union-Patroitic Front (ZANU-PF) and Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), which was held on September 15, 2008.

After deliberating on the issue and taking a closer look at the deal, the General Council noted that the deal is a far cry from the ZCTU's expectations and that it is an outcome of a flawed process.

Instead, the General Council noted, the deal is all about power-sharing between ZANU-PF and MDC, leaving out primary causes of the dispute which has created the current political and economic impasse currently prevailing in the country.

It also noted that the process used in coming up with the deal was not all-inclusive as the civic society was not given an opportunity to participate.

The exclusion of such critical sectors as labour, the General Council noted, and the secretive manner in which issues were discussed, do not give credence to the outcome of the deal.